In order to recover television content received from a remote source, a television set top box has a television tuner. Once a particular channel is received (i.e., tuned), a user can watch the content of the channel in real time or a digital video recorder (DVR) within the set top box can record the content of the channel. As a result of this arrangement, there is an assigned tuner for each task that the set top box performs. For example, if a user wishes to watch one channel while recording another channel at the same time, the set top box would require at least two television tuners.
Television tuners are relatively expensive with respect to the total cost of a set top box, so it is beneficial to minimize the number of television tuners. During operation of a set top box, the number of desired actions may exceed the number of tuners required to perform the desired actions. In this event, the set top box will not be able to perform all of the desired actions. If a set top box includes two tuners and both tuners are assigned for use only at a single television, it is relatively easy to indicate to a user that the user's desired actions exceed the capability of the set top box. However, if multiple tuners of a set top box are assigned to different televisions in different rooms and multiple viewers are requesting actions that exceed the tuner imposed limitations of the set top box, there is increased difficulty in resolving tuner conflicts. Further, a typical home can include multiple set top boxes coupled to multiple televisions. Managing the television tuners in this environment has become increasingly difficult.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved system and method for managing television tuners in a home entertainment system.